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Warming 20 minute Creamy White Bean Lemon Pesto Orzo Soup. Kind of like creamy risotto, kind of like soup, and so DELICIOUS. This is wholesome but comforting and the easiest to make using just one pot and 20 minutes. It’s warm and creamy, swirled with basil pesto, and finished with parmesan and a pinch of black pepper. Doesn’t get simpler or more delicious.
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Sometimes it’s the simplest of recipes that really do turn out the most delicious. And that’s definitely the case with today’s recipe. It’s perfect for this time of year when we’re still craving comfort food on these cold winter days, but also wanting something lighter. It also makes for a nice Valentine’s Day recipe too.
This is a great mix. Originally when I set out to make this I was thinking it would be more of a soup. And it is, but this is an ultra-creamy soup.
A bit of a cross between soup, creamy pasta, and rice stew. So just as you would expect, it’s delicious.
When my sister-in-law Lyndsie was in town over Christmas, she pretty much begged for a white bean soup. It’s one of her favorites and she said I never make anything with beans, which isn’t a lie. The family that’s here is not the biggest fan of beans. But I do love to experiment with them when Lynds and/or my cousins are in town.
Anyway, I never got around to making the soup over Christmas. But once I had this idea, I knew it would be delicious, Lyndsie fully agreed.
The details
With a 20 to 30 minute start to finish time, you can imagine the steps are pretty simple. First up, you only need one pot. No sauces, nothing extra, just one pot.
Start with olive oil, shallots, and garlic. To keep things simple, I just used smashed garlic cloves to infuse the oil. Then some butter goes in and then the orzo.
Any time I’m cooking with orzo, I love to toast it in butter before adding in any liquid. This just adds another layer of flavor as the butter cooks around the orzo.
Then comes the chicken broth or veggie broth, along with white beans, and kale. You could easily use spinach in place of kale. From here, simply simmer until the orzo is al dente and things are becoming very creamy.
Stir in the pesto and lots of parmesan and finish it off with lemon.
That’s it. Absolutely nothing fancy, but totally delicious.
For serving
I usually add a little fresh dill and black pepper, but parsley or basil work really well too.
Then, some crusty bread on the side is a must.
It’s different, but so, so good. And who couldn’t love such an easy Monday recipe? Especially after the Super Bowl. I feel like we need this today! Happy Valentine’s day!
Looking for other quick recipes? Here are my favorites:
Baked Sesame Orange Cauliflower
One Pot Stove-Top Mac and Cheese
Skillet Chicken Adobo with Coconut Rice
Lastly, if you make this Creamy White Bean Lemon Pesto Orzo Soup, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Creamy White Bean Lemon Pesto Orzo Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 4-6 cloves garlic, smashed
- red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 cups dry orzo pasta
- 6 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 can white beans
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1/2 bunch kale, finely shredded
- 1/2 cup basil pesto
- 1/2 cup whole milk or canned full fat coconut milk
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- 1. Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the shallot, garlic, and chili flakes and cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Drop in the butter, then stir in the orzo. Cook until golden, 1-3 minutes. Pour in the broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the beans and kale. Season with salt and pepper. If you have one, add a parmesan rind. Simmer 8-10 minutes until the orzo is al dente, stirring often. It should become very creamy.2. Stir in the pesto, milk, parmesan, and lemon, cook another few minutes until warmed through. 3. Divide the orzo and broth among bowls and add additional parmesan and black pepper. I like to add some fresh dill, parsley, or basil too!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Fantastic!! Super easy to make and very flavorful! So easy I made it for dinner 2 nights in a row!!
Hi Renee,
Amazing!! So glad to hear this dish turned out well for you, thanks for making it and your comment:) Xx
Do you drain the beans before adding?
Yes, go ahead and drain the beans:)
Delish!! Even better the next day
Thanks so much Hannah! I really appreciate you trying this recipe and your feedback! Xx
Fantastically flavorful. I’ve already shared this recipe with 2 friends. I added more beans and 2 leeks just because I had them to use up. My family loved how thick this soup was. Served with fresh sourdough for dipping.
Hi Alice,
So glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a lot for making it! Xx
This is such an excellent recipe! I made it for lunch and my husband raved about how good it is. I will try it sometime with shredded chicken but it was outstanding as written!
Hi Ann,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback! So glad you enjoyed this soup! xT
Delicious! I made this tonight and highly recommend it. SO good!
Hi Shari,
Fantastic! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment! So glad it turned out well for you:)
This was very good, however I did cut down the orzo to only 3/4 cup as others suggested. Even with that it soaked up most of the liquid, so I still ended up adding a bit more broth.
Hi Kathy,
Thanks so much for trying this soup and sharing what worked well for you, so glad it was enjoyed! xT
Absolutely DELICIOUS! I’m making a second week in a row since I have all the ingredients and it was so comforting and easy! I halved the recipe, since it’s just me and it could not have been easier to make. Here is to another week of deliciousness!
Hi Alyssa,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks for your comment and making this recipe, love to hear it was a hit! xT
Delicious! I love how the ingredients continue to build to a beautifully full flavor in the end. This is a keeper for sure! 🤍🤍🤍
Hi Tanya,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks for your comment and making this recipe, love to hear it was a hit! xT
Oh my gosh this is SO good. We had it for dinner tonight. Such an easy recipe with tons of flavor. Thank you!
Hi Michelle,
Wonderful!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe and your comment, so glad it turned out well! Have a great weekend! xT
It’s so delicious!!! I made this recipe for our girl’s night in, and we all loved it. Thank you for sharing your recipes!
Hey Trace,
Wonderful!! I appreciate you trying this recipe and sharing your feedback! So glad it was enjoyed:) xT
This is probably one of my new favorite recipes! So tasty and hearty and perfect for a cold winters meal! Thanks Tiguan!
Thanks so much Autumn!! Love to hear this recipe turned out well for you! Have a great Friday! Xx
Omg I’m in orzo heaven. So delicious. Perfect for this windy cold night. Cooked the orzo separate to keep it from absorbing all the broth. Doubled up on the beans because I love beans. Totally my kind of flavors. And came together so fast.
Lol love to hear this, Resa!! Thanks so much for making this soup and sharing your feedback! xT
Super EZ, tasty, and comforting! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Thanks so much for making this, Jes! So glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
Love this recipe. I added some chicken breast to the pot while the orzo was cooking . This was delish
Hey Michele,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe and your comment, love to hear that it turned out well for you! xT
Do you drain/rinse the beans or add all?
I drain the beans! xT
I had a happy accident while making this soup. One Trader Joe’s was out of orzo so I used rice instead. Just cooked it almost all the way before adding it to the pot. Second I forgot to buy white beans. But I had this jar of artichokes in the pantry so I threw that in instead. It was amazing!
Hey Magda,
Awesome!! Thanks a lot for trying this dish, so glad to hear it was enjoyed:) xx
Are white beans, the same as White kidney beans?